Adreanna Patterson’s song, “Shine,” was created under no ordinary circumstances. The song was composed for an original musical written and performed by a cast of foster care youth. The teens write their own stories, yet they perform each others’ instead of just sticking to their own. These shows are put on by The Possibility Project, a national non-profit dedicated to empowering youth to improve their lives and communities though preforming arts and community action.

Adreanna, who goes by AJ, first heard about The Possibility Project from her friend Jazzy, a graduate of the program. She was initially skeptical. “At first I didn’t want to do it,” she says, “because you have to do all these weird things, like act like a chicken and dance, and I was so shy back then.” Finally Adrienne joined the program, where she met the musical’s director, professional composer and musician Malcolm Cross, and her talent as a musician began to blossom.

AJ and Malcolm wrote “Shine” for her character, Sunny, a young woman who finally breaks free of an abusive relationship. Although Adreanna has never been in an abusive relationship herself, her character’s emotions are not unfamiliar to her. “I can relate to learning how to get the courage to leave a situation,” she says. “For me, being in foster care, I have been in homes that were just horrible, and I had to learn to get the courage to say, this isn’t right, I have to move out.” The connection AJ feels to her song is apparent in the natural beauty and power her voice commands over the melody and lyrics.

Next year, Adreanna will graduate from high school with plans to attend college. She has her heart set on the Berklee School of Music for her final two years of college. Nine out of ten foster care youth who enroll in The Possibility Project go on to graduate high school and later enroll in college. This statistic, however, is not representative of their peer group: on average, only fifty percent of youths raised in foster care nationally graduate high school. Only six percent go on to graduate from a two-year college or higher.

Composer Malcolm Cross and cast members in rehearsal for The Possibility Project’s “Stop Requested”. Photo: Agnes May Photography.

Malcolm says he was delighted to be able to work with Adreanna. He praises her naturally beautiful voice and raw talent, which he helped mold over time into the sophisticated and powerful voice you hear in the “Shine” recording. “I’d never had anyone there to support me,” AJ says of Malcolm. “I’d never had voice lessons or taken any classes.”

Thanks to the generosity of a great artist and a wonderful organization—and of course, the perseverance and courage of a strong young lady—that’s all changed.

Abstract expressionist painter Calvin Grimm pours everything into his paintings—his emotions, his life experiences, and particularly his love and respect for nature. Though there are few recognizable forms in his paintings, it is not just abstract ideas he represents in oils. It can be something so specific as the image of oil-soaked wildlife trying to flee the aftermath of the Exxon Valdez and BP oil spills.

Here’s a short tour of three of his works.

Supporting Calvin means supporting an artist who is giving the world more than just wonderful painting. He spent decades of his life working to raise awareness and concern for our natural environment and the damage which we humans do to it. Don’t miss Samantha Pack’s article about Calvin, where he talks about his art and his beliefs about conservation. Or go enjoy the on-camera interview.

Pianist Chloe Flower, with the help of legendary producer Babyface, has married classical music and hip-hop in her song “Revolution.”

Supporting Chloe means supporting an artist who is giving the world more than just wonderful music. She is a fervent and long-time supporter of sexual slavery survivor Somaly Mam, of the the Somaly Mam Foundation, and of the battle to end human trafficking. Don’t miss our interview with Chloe, where she talks about her music and about the foundation.

Singer-songwriter-fiddler Anne Harris was kind enough to play a song for us and let us share it with you. Here she is performing “Lullaby” with just her fiddle and her voice.

Supporting Anne means supporting an artist who is giving the world more than just wonderful music. She works with a number of good causes in addressing important social issues. In our interview with her she talks about her involvement with Coat Angels, who are working hard to provide winter coats to disadvantaged school children in Chicago.